Washing machine



July 8, 1930. w. H. KLEINHAMMER 1,770,076

WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1928 nn u l n .HmmmMmmm Mm A TTORNE YS.

Patented July s, 1930 WILLIAM H. KLEINHAMMER, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNFA WASHING MACHINE Application med september 1e, 192s. serien No. 306,855.

amber e9, 1925. In that applicationy I dieclose an improvement in agitators for wash- This invention relates generally to power driven machines for washing clothes, and particularly to machines of this type which utilize a rotatable or oscillating agitator orimpeller removably positioned within .a closed receptacle.

It is a general object of this invention to devise a simple but eEective form of thrust bearing for use with the agitator of a clothes .'10 washing machine.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a thrust bearing particularly adapted for use with a reversible impeller, and which can be readily removed from one end of the impeller and attached to the other end.

It is a` further` objectvof this invention to devise a novel type of thrust bearing requiring no lubrication other than water or similar Huid.

It .is a further Yobject of this invention to devise a thrust bearing which will serve as a cushioning means to-absorb vibration, and which will be practically,indestructible.

e. it is a further object of this invention to devise a thrust bearing for use withy the agi-- tator of a washing machine, which can be attached and readily removed from the agitae tor without removing screws or other similar attaching devices. 39 Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in whic ll have set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention. llt isl to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent kwith the state of the prior art.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating my invention incorporated with the agitator of a clothes Washing machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the agitator in an inverted position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view in quarter cross section illustrating a thrust bearing device constructed in accordance with this `invention. Y

This'application is a continuation in part of subject matter disclosed in my co-.pending application Serial Number 59,280, tiled Sep- September 7 1926.

ing machines and claimed in Patent No. 1

of the general type disclosed ,599,028, granted The invention herein disclosed and claimed is likewise an improvement of the invention Patent covered by said No. 1,599,028, although certain features of the invention are applicable to thrust bearings in general. In the drawing I have shown a receptacle 10 within which is disposed an agitator or impeller 11.

permanent laundry tray. preferred form consists. of erably circular in contour, which is formed a plurality Receptacle 10 may be the usual container of a washing machine,

Agitator 11 in its a plate 12, prefupon one side of or maybe a of annular vanes 13. Formed centrally on opposite sides of thev agitator, extending beyond the lower 12 and hub 17 extending a tance beyond the vanes 13.

are the hubs 16 and A17, hub 16 surface of plate substantial dis- For convenience in manufacture l prefer that the entire agitatorstructure be formed of a single casting of some suitable metal s uch as aluminum.

To provide means for driving the agitator ll have shown a non-circular driving shaft having its upper end cooperatively associated with an arm 19and its lower end excircular bore 21 formed in admit the driving rod 18,

h tended through the hubs 16 and 17. The nonthe agitator to is preferably of suliicient size that the rod is freely slidable with'respect to the agitator. wise slidably extended thro so that it can be removed by vertically from the agitator arm 19, in order to permit agitator from the receptacle 10.

Rod 18 is likeugh the arm 19, lifting the same and through the removal of the noncircular bore 21 which receives the driving l tator 11, it is apparent that in Fig. 2.

Since the v rod 18 extends entirely through the agithe agitator can be operated in an inverted position asshown This feature increases the utility L of the agitator, since when the agitator is in the position shown in Fig. 1

tion of the clothes is effected as when washing heavy fabri position shown `in Fig. 2 it is a greater agitais desirable cs, while in the best adapted for the washing of silks and other similar light fabrics. I prefer to impart oscillatory movement to the agitator, and arm 19 thereforev houses suitable motion imparting mechanism such as shown in Patent No. 1,627,053 issued to Morehouse and Haase.

If one or other of the hubs 16 and 17 is permitted to bear directly upon the bottom wall 22, itv is apparent that the bottom will soon become worn, and va'. certain amount ofy vibration will be imparted to the receptacle from the agitator and driving rod 18. In my invention I provide a thrust bearing between the agitator and the bottom wall 22, and this. bearing while being attached to the agitator so that it can be removed together therewith, merely has an abutting contact with the bottom of the receptacle. The form of thrust bearing which I prefer to employ is shown in Fig. 3 and consists of a block or body 23 made of resilient material such as a soft vulcanized rubber. @ne face of block 23 carries an integral collar 24 which is adapted to engage over an annular shoulder 26 formed upon the agitator, one shoulder being upon the hub 17, and the other upon hub 16. Because of the resilient nature of collar 24,the block 23 can be readily `removed from one end of the agitator and attached to the other end as desired.

When an impeller or agitator to which a thrust bearing device of this character is attached is positioned within the receptacle 10, the lower face of block 23 rests upon the bottom wall 22 and supports the agitator. When the agitator is in normal operation the receptacle contains water, and aS the fit between collar 24 and the corresponding shoulder 26 is a comparatively loose one, the surfaces in contact between the agitator and the block 23 are always lubricated by--a film of water. The abutting contact between block 23 and the bottom wall 22 provides sufficient friction to maintain the block relatively stationary with respect to the receptacle, so that all relative movement occurs between block 23 and theagitator. When it is desired to invert the impeller, the block 23 can be removed from the agitator and attached to the hub at the opposite end of the agitator. Because of the resilient nature of the block 23 my thrust bearing device is not only indestructible, but it serves as a cushioning or shock absorbing means betweentthe agtitator and the receptacle, thus causing the washing machine to operate with less noise and less apparent vibration.

v I claim:

1. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator disposed within the receptacle, means for driving said agitator, and a thrust bearing of resilient rubber imposed. between said agitator and the bottomv of said receptacle.

2. In combination with a fluid agitator tion of said block interlocking a portion of f said hub, said block forming a thrust bearing betweenl said hub and said support.

3. In combination with a iuid agitator adapted to be operably positioned upon a'supporting surface, a hub formed upon. said agitator, an annular shoulder formed about the end of said hub, and a resilient rubber block, said block having a collar formed to engage over said shoulder and detachably retain the block upon the end of the hub, said block forming a thrust bea-ring between said hub and said support.

4. In a washing machine, a receptacle, a drive shaft therein, an agitator positioned upon said drive shaft, a hub formed upon said agitator, said hub having an annular shoulder, a rubber block adapted to be positioned between said agitator and a side of said receptacle to act as a thrust bearing, said block having a collar formed to engage said shoule) to detachably retain said block on said 5. In a washing machine, a drive shaft, an agitator reversibly positioned upon said shaft, an extending member at one end of said agitator, and a hub extending from the other end of said agitator, said hub and said mem.- ber having annular shoulders formed at substantially Atheir extremities to provide supporting bearing surfaces for said agitator.

6. In a washing machine including a receptacle having a stationary bottom, a drive shaft, 'an 'impeller engaged with said drive i shaft, and `a bearing detachably engaged with 'said impeller, said bearing being of a resilcle to belifted when the impeller is lifted.`

8. In a washing machine including a receptacle having a stationary bottom, an agitator,

a hub formed upon each side of said agitator, v

and a thrust bearing device detachably engageable with either one of said hubs, said device normally resting upon the stationary bottom to serve as a thrust bearing.

9. In a washing machine including a receptacle having a stationar bottom, an agitator having a hub, and a thrust bearing device formed of resilient material cooperatively associated with said hub,fsaid device normally resting upon the stationary bottom of the receptacle.

10. In combination with a receptacle having a stationary bottom, a Huid agitator having` a hub, a thrust bearing device of resilient rubber detachably retained upon said hub by the resilience of said rubber, said device normally resting upon the stationary bottom.'

11. In a Washing machine employing an agitator in a receptacle having a stationary bottom, a circular hub formed on the agitator,

a thrust bearing device comprising a resilient body adapted to be slipped onto the circular hub to be retained by the resiliency of the body on the agitator, and to be interposed between the agitator and the stationary bottom.

12. In a Washing machine utilizing a receptacle having a stationary bottom and a driving mechanism, an agitator adapted to be positioned in either of tW'o positions With respect to the driving mechanism and adapted Ato be driven thereby, and separate bearing surfaces formed on the agitator and adapted to support the agitator on the stationary 'bottom when the agitator is in either of said p0- sitions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM H. KLEINHAMMER. 

